Gizmo Heat-Treat Failures

When any tool or part fails from breakage, wear, corrosion, stress, or for any other reason, there is usually a cause. It is safe to assume that any tool will eventually wear out; but what really needs to be considered is, “Is the tool wearing out prematurely?” That’s the main issue and focus in this chapter. We are going to cover a lot of areas in this chapter, so we will use a good many subtitles. If you are going to evaluate a failure, make sure you do not assume anything, and make sure you do not reach a conclusion until you investigate all the evidence. Investigating a failure has a good deal of similarity to a crime scene investigation. It takes a lot of digging to get all the potential reasons for a failure, and it may very likely require a full metallurgical analysis. It is important to consider doing the analysis yourself, and leave no stone unturned. Remember that a metallurgist may typically zero in, and look for a problem in the internal structure first. Also remember that the problem may be in an area that cannot be seen.